Kathleen Sebelius, Governor of Kansas

The Veep also-ran took the podium with a delivery as flat as Kansas and no apparent training on a teleprompter. She offered a mild-mannered, monotone attack on John McCain (his multiple homes, his Bush connections), and some general platitudes about Barack Obama and change. Despite her dignified, executive mien and impressive political family, history and résumé as the Democratic head of a Republican state, the lack of fire from the stage and the minimal response from the audience suggested that Sebelius is not ready for the no-holds-barred surrogate role of running mate.

— Mark Halperin

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